Carpet knife. After marking their positions in the hole, remove the pieces from the hole and carefully (this is sticky stuff!) remove the protective backing from the tape. While pulling the carpeting up with one hand, slip the tape pieces back into the prepared hole one piece at a time (Photo 4).
Step 3 - Apply Adhesive. Apply some adhesive to the carpet pad where the hole or tear is. Also, cover the back of the replacement patch in adhesive. Fix it into place and pat it down with your fingertips. Allow the adhesive to dry for about half a day.
A highly visible hole in a wide expanse of carpet is enough to make you want to cry. Holes in carpets develop because of heavy traffic, accidental cuts or when furniture is moved carelessly.
Written by Renee Miller; Updated December 15, 2018
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Cigarette burns, rips and stains can ruin the look of your carpet, and replacing it can be costly. As long as the damaged area isn’t too large you can save the time and expense of replacing the entire carpet. If you have carpet remnants left over from installation, you can repair the damaged section with a patch. If you don’t have remnants, a piece of carpeting from a hidden area of the room, such as a closet or behind a door, will also work. Patching a damaged piece of carpeting is a simple task you can do yourself.
Cut out a triangle or a rectangle around the damaged area of carpet using a utility knife. Cutting through carpet can be difficult, but if you score, then cut once on each side of the damaged area first, you can lift the edges up as you cut and avoid cutting into the carpet padding beneath.
Cut a new piece of carpet the same shape, but slightly larger from a remnant or from a hidden section of installed carpeting. A slightly larger piece can be trimmed to fit the opening, but a smaller piece cannot and will be noticeable.
Cut a small piece of heavy fabric such as burlap at least 1 inch larger on each side than your patch piece. Lift the carpet around the cut section and insert the fabric so that the edges are under the outer edges of the hole. The fabric serves as a backing for the adhesive so the patch isn’t glued directly to the floor or the carpet padding. If the carpet has a pattern, make sure you cut the piece so that it is oriented to match the pattern.
Apply carpet adhesive to the fabric and to the carpet edges that surround the hole you cut out.
Orient the patch so the grain of the carpet runs the same direction as the installed carpet, then press the patch firmly into the hole. Ruffle the edges with your fingers to blend the seam.
Leave the adhesive to dry overnight before vacuuming over the patched section.
Things You Will Need
Utility knife
Heavy fabric
Carpet remnant
Carpet adhesive
Tip
For small sections, you can purchase a carpet repair tool which resembles a round cookie cutter with a sharp edge. Press it over the damaged area and turn until you reach the padding, then pull out the circular piece and patch as you would a large section.
Older carpet in high traffic areas might be more faded or worn than remnants or patches taken from hidden areas of the room. This might make larger patches noticeable.
You can use carpet tape instead of adhesive for larger patches, but it is not ideal for small repairs. The tape becomes bunched or balled up when working with a small opening, rendering the tape useless.
References (2)
About the Author
Renee Miller began writing professionally in 2008, contributing to websites and the 'Community Press' newspaper. She is co-founder of On Fiction Writing, a website for writers. Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario.
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Miller, Renee. 'How to Replace Patches of Carpet.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/replace-patches-carpet-24412.html. 15 December 2018.
Miller, Renee. (2018, December 15). How to Replace Patches of Carpet. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/replace-patches-carpet-24412.html
Miller, Renee. 'How to Replace Patches of Carpet' last modified December 15, 2018. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/replace-patches-carpet-24412.html
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Old homes were typically heated by floor radiators. But those radiators don't last forever, and once they become obsolete and are removed, you are left with large holes in your wood floors. The easy solution is to just move the dresser over the hole, but that only hides the problem. It's better to plug these holes to prevent further problems down the line.
To fill these holes you'll need a plug cutter, cordless drill, and a hole saw or spade bit. If you've got old wood planks from the originally flooring then you are in luck, otherwise you'll need to find a replacement somewhere else. You could always cut a out of the existing floor somewhere out of the way, like a closet corner, but then you've got a hole in your closet. You're better off matching some scrap wood of similar color and grain and cutting your plug from that.
How To Patch A Large Hole In Ceiling
Use your hole saw or spade bit to size out the original hole. You may need to make sure the hole is an even diameter. After that, match it to the size of your plug cutter. Once you've got your plug cut out, you just need to apply wood glue and use a mallet to tap it into place. Make sure the grain is aligned and you're good to go.
How To Patch Carpet Video
Thanks Old Town Home for sharing your project with us.